Peripheral Neuropathy and Foot Care Practices Among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Peripheral neuropathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. Foot care is an important part of diabetes management. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy and foot care practices among diabetic patients. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 178 patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and attending out-patient and in-patient departments of Internal Medicine at Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel. The participants were conveniently selected. Face-to-face interviews and a foot examination were used to collect data. The Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument and the Nottingham Assessment of Functional Foot Care were used to determine the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy and to assess foot care practices. Results: The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy was 41% among the participants, and it was associated with increasing age. The majority (75.8%) of the participants had good foot care practices. Male gender was significantly associated with good foot care practices [AOR = 5.973, 95% CI (2.037-17.515)], whereas past smokers [AOR = 0.296, 95% CI (0.111-0.791)] and not receiving diabetes education [AOR = 0.367, 95% CI (0.151-0.892)] were significantly associated with poor foot care practices. Conclusion: The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy was found to be high, and it was linked to an increased age group. The majority of the participants had good foot care practices. However, in comparison, females were found less likely to practice foot care than males